Reunited
by D. M. Robb
Summary: Woody and Bo finally have the chance to see each other again. The main problem is that Bo may have found someone who needs her more. Woody X Bo. Some Jessie X Buzz.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Woody smiled and applauded with the others as Buzz and Jessie finished their dance. They held hands and took elaborate bows, blowing kisses at the audience.

A twinge of melancholy pressed against his chest but he found himself chuckling at Buzz's antics. It was amazing how much his space ranger buddy changed when he switched over to the Spanish mode.

Woody turned away as Buzz dipped Jessie back and gave her a long kiss. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head were fussing over their three alien children, still thanking them for their heroic act at the dump. Rex and Trixie headed off toward Bonnie's computer.

Woody climbed up Bonnie's bedspread, onto the bed, and leaped up to the windowsill. He settled on its edge and stared out the window. It was a Saturday afternoon and Bonnie was at the movies with her parents. She probably wouldn't be back for hours.

It had rained earlier in the day. The lawn sparkled with countless water droplets against the emerging sunlight and the air was scented with damp grass and flowers. Clouds, which had transformed from bruise-gray smudges into billowy white puffs, scurried across the bright blue sky. It reminded Woody of the wallpaper in Andy's old bedroom…

He struggled to force back the memories. He was now Bonnie's toy and had to move on. Andy was a part of the past, as was…

Bo. His eyes grew warm and moist as thoughts of her, which he'd struggled to suppress this past year, crowded his mind. Had it only been a year since that fateful yard sale when Bo was purchased by an elderly woman who collected antique lamps and dolls?

A few years ago he and the others had agreed that, once Andy and Molly started getting older and gradually choosing to get rid of certain toys, rescues were futile. They quickly realized that any toys spared from one yard sale could only hide for so long before they were discovered by members of the Davis family and just placed in the next one. So the day Bo was sold, the same day they'd also lost Wheezy, Etch, Mr. Spell, and RC, Woody could only stand at the window and watch. Watch as she was wrapped up, placed in a box, and driven away, out of his life forever.

That had been the second time he'd shed actual tears, something that was rare for toys. The first had been the night Andy's father, who'd been his previous owner, had died. Molly had only been a few months old then and Bo was there to comfort him. He closed his eyes and remembered her cool, porcelain touch as she had held his head against her shoulder, allowing him to weep until his eyes ran out of tears.

"I still should have tried to rescue you, Bo," Woody whispered to the window. "Why did I insist on sticking to that stupid pact?"

That had also been the first time he'd admitted that he'd loved her. Why had he waited so long? That was one thing he'd tried to advise Buzz about Jessie. Just because they were toys and believed they were immortal since they never aged, they could still be separated by their owners. The worst part was that he hadn't even said it directly to Bo, just from the window while she was down at the yard sale, about to be taken away. He doubted she'd even heard him. How could she have?

More memories flooded back, as if a dam had burst in his mind, things he had pushed aside during their ordeal at Sunnyside Daycare and nearly being destroyed in the incinerator. Those events had occupied his thoughts for several days, even invading his dreams. But now that he and the others had settled in at Bonnie's, Woody's reverie turned back to Bo.

He caught himself smiling and rubbing the back of his head as he thought about how she would often surprise him by looping her crook around his neck. Sometimes it hurt but he had to admit that he enjoyed it. _I was almost as bad as Buzz was with Jessie, _he thought, remembering how just looking into Bo's radiant blue eyes used to reduce him to a stammering, incoherent wreck.

Then there were the games she used to play with her sheep, making them hide and then urging Woody to help her find them, and having them hold up the mistletoe at Christmas so she could cover him in kisses. His insides tingled at the thought. He also couldn't forget the frequent sing-a-longs with Wheezy. Woody often felt embarrassed since Bo had a beautiful singing voice while his always came out flat and dissonant, even worse than his pull-string one. But Bo had been nice enough not to point that out.

"Woody, what are you doin' up here all by yourself?" He nearly jumped at the sound of Jessie's voice. The cowgirl scrambled onto the windowsill and plopped down cross-legged beside him. Buzz quickly followed.

"O-oh, hey, Jessie, Buzz," Woody stammered, scooting over to make room for them. "I was just thinking, that's all."

"Is everything all right, Sheriff?" asked Buzz, his face drawn with concern.

"Yeah." Woody returned his gaze to the window. He swallowed. Most of his friends didn't bring up Bo, knowing the subject was painful for him. "I-I..." He rubbed the back of his neck and forced the words to come, words that felt heavy on his lips. "I was just thinking about her. About Bo."

Jessie and Buzz exchanged glances. They briefly grasped hands before Jessie draped an arm around Woody's shoulders. "We all miss her," she whispered, her tone unusually subdued. A shadow of sadness flickered in her bright green eyes. "She was a great friend."

Woody blinked hard and focused on the sky, watched the clouds scuttle across it. A late summer breeze stirred the branches of the large tree in Bonnie's yard.

Jessie started to giggle. Woody turned back to her in surprise. "I was just thinking about the time she lent me her staff so I could try it out on you Buzz, do you remember?"

Woody couldn't help but smile when he saw the space ranger's cheeks flush. "I do remember that," Woody said with a laugh that surprised him, momentarily brightening his mood. "She was always teasing you, Buzz, remember? Wondering what you were waiting for with Jessie." He felt his face burn as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

"It turns out she was right." Buzz grinned and looked lovingly at Jessie, an expression that caused a brief shiver of jealousy to pass through Woody. He forced it back.

"Are you talking about…Bo?" asked Mrs. Potato Head as she climbed up onto the bed with her husband following close behind. Woody's throat tightened. He gulped and nodded. "I sure miss her. She was such a sweet girl."

"Sweet, yeah," grumbled Mr. Potato Head, striding forward. "But she did have a temper. None of _you _have ever been whacked by her cane." He rubbed his head.

Woody laughed. "It's not like you didn't deserve it, Potato Head. You two sure got into some heated arguments at times."

"She was always kind to me," Rex said timidly as he waddled up to the foot of the bed.

"Me too," added Slinky, his tail bobbing.

Bullseye softly nickered and lowered his head. His large eyes were sad.

"Who are you all talking about?" asked Mr. Pricklepants, stepping out from the corner where he had been working on a monologue.

Woody could feel the familiar melancholy worming its way back into his chest. Pricklepants, Dolly, Buttercup, Trixie, the three peas in a pod, Chuckles, and even silent Totoro had gathered in a group and were all staring up at them.

Woody tugged at his bandana and looked down. "Just an old friend," he murmured.

"Woody's old girlfriend," said Hamm from his place on Bonnie's desk. "Her name was Bo Peep and—"

"Like the nursery rhyme?" asked Pricklepants.

"Yeah, like the nursery rhyme," Woody mumbled.

"What happened?" asked Dolly, her button eyes glinting.

"She was sold at a yard sale, ma'am," said Slinky, seeing that this was too painful for Woody to explain. "About a year ago, I'd say."

Bonnie's original toys gasped in horror.

"Ah, a tale of star-crossed lovers," breathed Pricklepants in a dramatic tone, "torn apart against their wills by a cruel twist of fate. It would make an excellent play—"

"Hey, show a little respect, will ya," snapped Buttercup, poking the hedgehog with his horn.

"Why don't you try to find her?" asked Dolly.

"I-I wouldn't know where to look." Woody could feel his eyes growing hot and moist.

"It shouldn't be that difficult," Trixie said. "Do you have any clues about the person who bought her?"

"Yeah." A faint hope leaped in Woody's chest. "She was an older woman, a collector."

"A collector." Trixie looked thoughtful. "That's a start. I'll just hop onto the Internet and—"

"We're going to find Bo and bring her here?" shrieked Jessie, jumping up. "Yee-haw!"

"No," said a firm, solemn voice. Everyone turned to look at Chuckles who wobbled forward on his large feet. The clown's usually sad face was set in a stern expression. "There are rules about this sort of thing."

"Rules? What rules?" shouted Buttercup.

"You did say that she was sold at a yard sale?"

A sinking feeling filled Woody as he reluctantly nodded.

"Then she has an owner. To take her from that owner would constitute stealing."

"I've never heard of this cockamamie rule before," snapped Mr. Potato Head. "Remember when Woody was kidnapped by Al?" A stab of pain prickled Woody's chest. He still experienced pangs of guilt over the time when he'd almost gone off to Japan with Jessie, the Prospector, and Bullseye, even though that had happened so many years ago. Bo had been at the back of his mind then but he'd had to admit that he'd been more concerned about getting ripped up even more, abandoned by Andy, and letting Jessie and the others get put back into storage. Bo had forgiven him when he eventually worked up the courage to explain this to her but he could still see the hurt that had lingered in her eyes. He felt a sinking in his chest whenever he thought of that, as if his voice box had been yanked out. There was a part of him that believed Bo's loss was some sort of karmic punishment for his willingness to just leave her without ever saying goodbye. Perhaps on some level he deserved never to see her again. "We all went after him and brought him back."

"And brought us back too," added Jessie, smiling down at Bullseye.

"So you were stolen," continued Chuckles. "That's different. This Al wasn't your true owner. Andy still was and you were just being returned to your proper place. But if you take a toy away from someone who paid for them or received them as a gift, then you are stealing. It's different if a toy is lost or abandoned…" Chuckles' voice broke. He turned away, no doubt consumed by thoughts of Lotso and Daisy.

Woody sank back against the window. The sun felt warm against his vinyl skin but he wanted it to go away. He longed to curl up in a dark toy box and not speak to anyone as he'd done during those horrible days following Bo's loss.

An ephemeral tremor of helpless rage passed through him. True, he still loved Andy and adored Bonnie but his fate, along with those of the other toys, was all determined by the whims of these humans. He thought about how heartbroken Jessie had sounded when she had talked about Emily and how Daisy's abandonment had turned Lotso into a monster. He shuddered. Did Molly realize that, by outgrowing Bo, she had ripped Woody apart inside? Of course not.

He felt a firm hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Woody," said Buzz with a glint in his pale blue eyes. "That rule must have a loophole. Every rule does. We just have to find it."

"You think?" Woody sat up straighter. The flicker of hope that had been doused by Chuckles had returned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Bo felt she would burst with excitement when she overheard her owner Alice speaking on the phone. Alice's four-year-old granddaughter Penny was coming over tonight to stay for an entire week while her father was away on a business trip. The child had been over several times before but her visits had been brief and she had never entered this room.

"Did you hear that?" Bo turned to her companions who shared the lower shelf in Alice's den with her. One was a porcelain mermaid figurine named Adriana, who was also part of a lamp, one whose shade was decorated with shells and fish patterns. Adriana rarely talked, preferring to stare into her hand mirror and pretend to preen her long yellow hair. The other was Clarice, a fancy queen china doll. She had a sharp face and an even sharper nose that was constantly thrust in the air. She was garbed in an embroidered velvet gown that sparkled with tiny beads and her gilded crown rested like a jewel-encrusted nest on her hair. Clarice sat on a throne, which she refused to leave, even when Alice was out, and held a gold scepter in one gloved hand. "Penny is coming to stay with us for a while."

"Why should that concern us?" Adriana said, still not looking up from her mirror. She flicked her tail. "It's not like she can come in here anyway."

Bo sighed. Why had she even hoped? There were too many delicate objects in here, she included. While Alice had claimed to collect dolls, her specialty was apparently lamps. Lamps of all shapes and sizes scattered her house. There were a few in here, including Bo's and Adriana's. Two with fragile glass shades decorated the desk. Another pair, tall, slender ones with rosy shades, stood on the other side of the room with a pink settee between them.

"You can wish all you want to get played with, shepherd girl," said Clarice, not even looking at Bo. Bo choked back a retort. Clarice had refused to call her by her proper name ever since she'd arrived. Not that it really mattered. That wasn't going to happen unless Bo agreed to curtsey and address Clarice as "Your Majesty," which she would _never_ do. "But it won't happen in this house. I don't know about you, but I am far better than those ordinary, riff-raff toys whose sole purpose is to spend their pathetic lives being thrashed around by sticky fingered little beasts and then tossed into a landfill. Mine is a greater purpose, to look beautiful, to be admired." Her glassy gray eyes flicked briefly over Bo. "But I suppose it's difficult for a peasant like you to understand. After all, you spent years among those ratty—"

"Don't talk about them that way. They were the best toys in the world!" Bo blurted, gripping her staff so tightly that her fingers hurt. Grief mixed with her rage. As much as she struggled to push aside thoughts of Woody and the rest of the family that she'd left behind at Andy's, she just couldn't forget. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Calm down, _she commanded herself. _Clarice is not worth it. _But she still couldn't stop. "They knew how to enjoy life," she continued, her tone slightly calmer. Tears touched her eyes but she quickly blinked them back. "We used to have fun, even when there wasn't a child to play with. All you do is sit around, waiting to be dusted."

Clarice stared intently at the gem that topped her scepter. "Alice does keep me in the best condition. And why shouldn't she? I certainly can't speak for you, shepherd girl, but I am a valuable collector's item, worth plenty of money."

"So were some of my friends." Bo's voice cracked. _No. Don't think about them…about him. _She swallowed hard and cleared her throat. "There was a collector who was going to sell them to a museum in Japan and then retire off the profits. But they didn't want to go. Not when there was a child who needed them, who loved them."

Clarice snorted. "Then your friends were incredibly stupid." Bo's cheeks burned. She fought the urge to hurl her crook at Clarice's head, to knock off that silly crown. "Children!" the queen scoffed. "They are nothing but vulgar little monsters that pick their noses and collect bugs and then handle _you_." She stabbed a finger at Bo. "Disgusting!" She turned her head, sticking her nose in the air.

Bo sighed and focused her gaze on the window she stood next to. It looked out onto a neat, colorful flower garden. Bo was grateful that Alice had chosen this spot for her. She was certain she would have been driven mad in days if she didn't have a window to look through. Not when her only companions were a self-obsessed mermaid and a haughty queen.

_Why do I keep trying? _she wondered. Hadn't she learned in the time she'd been here that there was no reasoning with Clarice? She was even worse than stubborn Mr. Potato Head!

Tears blurred her eyes, smearing her view of the garden, and her throat tightened painfully. She whistled for her sheep. They clattered to her side, softly bleating. Bo knelt and buried her face against their cool, porcelain wool. She used to encourage them to nibble at Clarice's gown during those times the queen became unbearable, which turned out to be every single day. She would shriek and demand that Bo call off her "grimy little beasts," which she did…eventually. But not before she'd had a good laugh. That had been amusing for a while but it soon became old.

Loneliness consumed her as thoughts she struggled to banish pushed their way into her mind. What was Woody doing now? He had to be with Andy. Was he still in the toy box? Or had Andy taken him to college? She longed to grab the cowboy with her crook and kiss him repeatedly. What she wouldn't give just to do that once more! If only…

Bo fought the desire. Woody was now out of her life and she just had to accept it and move on. She had her memories. That should suffice…shouldn't it? Still, why did she continue to miss him so terribly? At least he was safe from any yard sales.

What about Jessie and Buzz?

_Oh, Jessie, did you ever find a way to break Buzz of his shyness? _Bo wondered, wishing Jessie were here so she could ask her. Hopefully they were still together, that they hadn't been separated like she and Woody.

She felt a rare smile creep across her face as she thought about the times when she and Jessie would tackle Woody and tickle him until he yelped with helpless laughter.

The faces of her other old friends crowded her mind: Slinky, Rex, Bullseye, Hamm, the Potato Heads and their three funny alien children from Pizza Planet. She missed all of them so badly it hurt, even crusty old Mr. Potato Head! Had any of them been sold at yard sales? If so, she hoped they had found good homes. Homes where they would be played with and not spend endless days on a shelf next to snooty royal dolls, where the greatest excitement was a weekly dusting!

Bo blinked back her tears and mentally scolded herself for this lapse into self-pity. Perhaps tonight she'd make her way down from this shelf and go exploring, provided Alice left the door open. She could even sneak into the guest bedroom and take a look at Penny. She felt suddenly better.

She had wandered through Alice's house several times late at night during her time here but perhaps there were still more things to discover, especially now that there was going to be a child staying here. Will she bring toys? Ones that didn't mind being played with, that could even be her friends?

Bo stood and, placing her hand on her sheep, leaned against her staff. She was happier than she had been in months. Her mood brightened even more when the doorbell rang. Penny!

She could hear Alice's footsteps clicking against the hardwood floor as she approached the den door. Bo dashed back to her lamp.

A crushing disappointment filled her as Alice firmly shut the door before hurrying to greet Penny.

The den door remained closed for the remainder of the day and all that night. Bo fought a wistful longing as she heard Penny's laughter and the sound of the child running throughout the rest of the house. Would the entire week be like this, where she'd only be able to listen to the child but not see her?

_I might as well get some sleep, _Bo thought bitterly as she stared at the closed door. There would be no exploring tonight. She curled up on the base of her unlit lamp and pulled her sheep close.

She must have dozed for some time since, when she awoke, the window was bright with morning sunlight. Birdsong intermingled with the sound of Clarice snoring. The queen was slumped on her throne, her crown askew, and her head lolling back. Bo giggled as she picked up her staff and pulled herself to her feet. Adriana was already awake, admiring herself in that mirror that Bo was certain was permanently attached to her hand.

There was another noise, that of footsteps pounding against the floor, coming toward this room. They were lighter than Alice's and much more rapid. Penny? Hope filled Bo.

"Clarice, wake up." She jabbed the queen with the end of her staff, harder than was necessary.

The doll spluttered and blinked up at Bo. "How dare you—" She hushed when the doorknob started to turn, straightened her crown and struck her regal pose.

Penny poked her head in. Bo held her breath. The child's eyes widened as she glanced around the room. She looked back, as if checking to see if her grandmother was watching, then stepped all the way in.

Penny was a pretty girl, fairly tall for her age, with large brown eyes and long black hair that hung down her back in a ponytail.

Bo's insides tingled when Penny turned toward the shelf where she was standing. The child was eye-level with it. She smiled as she lightly ran her fingers over the shells on Adriana's lampshade, then touched Clarice's crown. Bo struggled not to laugh as she sensed the queen's revulsion, something she wasn't able to show while she was frozen.

Then Penny approached Bo. Her smile broadened as she studied her. "You're Little Bo Peep, aren't you? I have a book about you. It says you lost your sheep but they're right here." She giggled. "They're all stuck together. Is that so you can find them more easily?"

A euphoria that Bo hadn't experienced since her days with Woody spread through her chest. Not even Andy had ever spoken directly to her. In fact, he had only played with her when he needed a damsel in distress for his games. And Molly had completely ignored her, even when she was Penny's age. Bo felt like dancing and jumping but could only remain still, her hands tightly clutching her crook.

"You're really beautiful," Penny said, running her finger along the lacy trim of Bo's gown. "Much prettier than the picture in my book. And I like your dress. I wish I had one like that."

"Penny," Alice called from the living room. "Where are you? We have to get going."

"Oh, no." Penny quickly turned, her ponytail brushing against Bo. "I'm not supposed to be in here." She whipped back around. "Would you like to see Sunnyside, Bo Peep?" Bo nearly gasped in shock as Penny snatched her off the lamp and dropped her into a Disney Princess backpack. She tumbled into the pink enclosure, banging against picture books and a box of crayons. "I go there almost every day. Dad usually drops me off before he goes to work but Grandma's taking me today. She has something to do and can't leave me here alone." Penny zipped the bag shut.

"Penny, come _on_!" Alice's voice, muffled through the pack, sounded impatient. "We're going to be late."

Bo was jostled as Penny hurried from the room, softly shutting the door behind her. "Coming, Grandma!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_I'm finally going to have an adventure, _Bo thought, her excitement overriding the fear that all this motion might break her. Aside from the move from Andy's old house years ago and that dreadful yard sale, Bo had never been outside. She couldn't count the number of times she had stared out of Molly and Andy's windows, wishing she could explore the world beyond but knowing that was a ridiculous notion. She had even offered to go with the others to rescue Woody from Al but had been talked out of it.

"I know how badly you want to go, dear," Mrs. Potato Head had said in a consoling tone. "But Woody would be heartbroken if anything happened to you." Although no one had said so directly, they all knew she would be a liability had she gone, always at risk of shattering. So Bo had no choice but to give Buzz a kiss for Woody and wave to them from the window.

She felt the car slow to a stop and, moments later, the uncomfortable jostling started again.

"I'll pick you up at noon," said Alice to Penny. Bo could hear the noise of many children playing in the background. Was she finally going to be played with again after all these years? Her stomach tingled with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. She had longed for this, had tried unsuccessfully to convince Clarice of the joys of playtime, yet a part of her was suddenly scared. What if those kids weren't as careful with her as Andy had been? "Then we'll have the rest of the day to do something fun."

"Yes!" Penny shouted, jumping up and down and jostling Bo even more. Her bonnet fell over her eyes. She gritted her teeth and hoped Penny would stop. "Bye, Grandma."

The bouncing became less severe but still continued as Penny ran toward the noise, her sneakers slapping against the ground.

Bo pushed back her bonnet as Penny came to a stop. The child unzipped her pack and peeked in. "You'll be safe in here, Bo," she whispered, hanging the backpack on a hook in a closet with others.

Bo watched as Penny raced away to join a large group of young kids. She greeted a shy looking girl with short brown hair.

Bo scanned the room. It was vast and colorful, cluttered with countless toys. Photos of groups of children covered one wall. A large dollhouse stood in the center. Longing filled Bo as she watched children hug stuffed animals and play. She couldn't help but think of how some of them reminded her of Andy when he was small.

She looked over at Penny, who was sitting at a table with the brown-haired girl, coloring. Another little girl sat cross-legged in front of the tall dollhouse, playing with a garishly dressed Ken and a Barbie clad in a glittery evening gown.

After she had observed for some time, a bell rang and all the kids were herded outside by the adults. The silence that momentarily filled the room was almost deafening, until the toys began to move about.

_I might as well check out this place, _Bo thought as she hooked her staff on the edge of the backpack and carefully eased out. Once she felt her feet touch the floor, she pulled down her crook, straightened her dress, and moved further into the room.

"A newcomer!" shouted a sparkling purple octopus, creeping closer. "Welcome." She held out a rubbery tentacle for Bo to shake.

Bo felt overwhelmed by all this attention as the crowd of toys gathered around her. She wasn't sure who she should focus on first. There was an enormous baby doll with a droopy eyelid, a monkey wearing star-shaped sunglasses, a green plastic insect, Buzz's nemesis Emperor Zurg, a few dinosaurs, and more stuffed animals than she could count.

"Welcome to Sunnyside, the cool and groovy daycare," said the Ken doll, stepping forward. He was wearing lemon-yellow slacks and a brightly patterned Hawaiian shirt. The colors almost hurt Bo's eyes. "We take turns here in the Butterfly Room but I'd suggest you stay," he continued, looking her over. "I don't think you'd last too long in the Caterpillar Room."

"Caterpillar Room?" Bo murmured, confused. "What—"

"Bo, is that you?" called a sweet voice. The evening gown Barbie hurried toward her. Bo's mind churned. Which Barbie was she? Molly had owned several at one point and they all looked and sounded alike. "From Molly's room?" Bo nodded.

Barbie gave her a tight hug. "I was so sad when I'd heard you'd been sold. But don't feel bad. Molly got rid of me too." She turned toward the crowd. "Ken, everyone, this is Bo Peep. We used to belong to the same owner." She turned back to Bo. "Don't tell me you've been donated to Sunnyside."

"No. I came here with a little girl named Penny."

"Penny. Isn't she Bonnie's best friend?" asked Ken.

"Penny's your owner now?" Barbie gushed. "That's wonderful! Then you must have seen Woody and the others. It's funny but they haven't mentioned you in any of their letters. How—"

"Barbie, slow down." Bo clutched the doll's arm. Her thoughts swirled. Was she dreaming? "Did you just say Woody? Isn't he still with Andy?"

Barbie shook her head. Her glossy blonde curls tumbled around her shoulders. "Didn't you hear? Andy gave all his toys to Bonnie. Even Woody."

Bo felt as if her legs were going to give way beneath her. She leaned against her staff to steady herself. "You said that Bonnie's here? That she and Penny are friends?"

Barbie's smile widened even more. She nodded.

"I've got to go back with Bonnie!" Bo's words came out in a rush. "I came here in Penny's backpack." She looked at the closet where all the colorful bags hung. "Which one is Bonnie's?"

The bell rang, startling her.

"You'll have to do that later," said Ken. "Recess is over."

"Quick!" Barbie grabbed Bo's hand and began tugging her toward the doll house. Bo practically had to run to keep up with her. She silently cursed her ridiculous petticoats. Her dress may look pretty, as Penny had said, but it was often so hard to move in, almost as great a hindrance as having been made out of porcelain. "You can hide in Ken's house until the next break. Then we'll help you sneak into Bonnie's backpack." She opened the door for Bo. "I bet you can't wait to see all of them again."

Bo felt as if her chest would burst with joy as she watched the kids play from a window. Months ago she had resigned herself to the fact that she'd never see Woody and her other friends again. And now she'd go home with Bonnie, their new owner. She'd have her old family back and everything would be wonderful. No more Clarice and endless days on a shelf with nothing to do but stare out into Alice's garden! How much longer would she have to wait? Every minute seemed to take an eternity.

"Penny, your grandmother is here for you," called one of the adults.

Penny dropped the toys she had been playing with and scurried toward the closet to get her backpack. Guilt tugged at Bo. Was she betraying Penny by choosing to go home with Bonnie? Well, it didn't matter. What mattered most were Woody and her old family. She couldn't wait to see their faces when she emerged from Bonnie's pack!

"Oh, no!" Penny gasped. She dropped her backpack and started pulling stuff out of it, strewing the floor with books and crayons.

"Penny, what on earth are you doing?" Alice grabbed the child's slender shoulder.

"No…she can't be gone." Her small body shook with sobs and tears started trailing down her face. "She's not in here. Someone must have taken her."

"Taken who, honey?" Alice knelt beside her. "Who's gone?"

"Bo Peep. I had her in my bag."

Alice pulled back, her face going pale. "Bo Peep from my den?" Penny sniffled and nodded. Alice's cheeks reddened. "Didn't I tell you not to touch my collectibles?" Her voice sounded strained, as if she were struggling not to yell.

Penny bowed her head. "Yes, Grandma. I just wanted her with me. I wasn't going to take her out of the bag."

A queer feeling stirred in Bo, one she couldn't quite explain. It was a mixture of joy and hope. Was it possible for a child to love her, a porcelain figurine? Could she actually have with Penny what Woody had with Andy, Jessie with Emily? She never believed such a thing could happen. Not to her.

She took a deep breath and looked around. All the humans in the room had their eyes locked on Penny and Alice. They wouldn't see her if she moved. She headed for the door and pushed it open.

"Bo, what are you doing?" Barbie whispered from her spot on the floor where she'd been dropped.

"I can't go home with Bonnie," she said softly, plopping down. "This child needs me."

"We'll look around for her then," Alice said tersely. "I just hope she didn't get broken."

"Is this her?" asked the brown-haired girl in a timid voice as she scooped up Bo.

"Yes!" Penny leaped to her feet, suddenly cheerful, and grabbed Bo. "Thanks, Bonnie!" Warmth flooded Bo as Penny held her close. So that was what it felt like to be hugged by a child. No wonder Woody had loved Andy so much. She didn't want it to end.

Her joy was replaced by sour disappointment as Alice snatched her away. The woman sighed as she gently straightened Bo's bonnet and dress. "She's not broken, thank goodness." She grabbed Penny's hand. "We are going to have a long talk when we get home, young lady."

"Yes, Grandma," Penny whispered in a shaky voice. She hung her head as Alice led her from the Butterfly Room, through the front office, and into the parking lot.

When they arrived home, Alice placed Bo back on her lamp, next to the sheep, then pulled Penny down beside her on the settee. The child's eyes were red and swollen.

"I am very disappointed in you, Penny," Alice said in a firm tone. "Didn't I tell you that my figurines are not playthings?"

"Yes, Grandma," Penny whispered, staring down at her shoes. Her ponytail had come slightly undone and wisps of hair webbed her wet face. Bo could hear her sniffling. She longed to comfort the child but all she could do was stand perfectly still with her crook clutched in her hands.

"After lunch I want you to go to your room and think about what you did. If this happens again, I'll have to tell your father. Do you understand? "

Penny sobbed softly and nodded. "I'm sorry."

Alice pulled a tissue from her purse and gently dabbed Penny's tears. The woman smiled, an expression that made the corners of her eyes, behind her glasses, crinkle. "I'm hungry. Let's get some lunch."

Depression filled Bo as Alice led Penny out of the room, shutting the door behind them. She had come so close to being played with, perhaps even finally being loved by a child. She wished she would have gone with her original plan to go home with Bonnie. Right now she could be hugging her old friends and kissing Woody…

She struggled to push that thought out of her mind. If she had, Penny would not only have been grief-stricken but also in deeper trouble with her grandmother.

"Did you enjoy your little excursion to Sunnyside, shepherd girl?" Clarice scoffed. "I'm surprised those snot-nosed little monsters didn't break you into thousands of pieces."

Bo ignored her. She was in no mood to put up with Clarice. She simply sighed and petted her sheep. They gently licked her face, sensing her grief. _Perhaps I should be happy just being a lamp decoration, _she thought, avoiding Clarice's condescending stare. _That's what I was made for…Even if Andy had seen me as a toy._

_As did Penny…_

She pulled her bonnet forward to hide her watering eyes from Clarice and hugged her sheep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Oh, no!" Bonnie gasped as she crept behind her bed, clutching Woody, Jessie, and Buzz tightly in one arm. "Witch Dolly has teamed up with Evil Dr. Pork Chop!"

She pulled Hamm forward with her free hand, placing him at the foot of the bed. "Ha! Ha! Ha!" Bonnie cackled in a witchy voice as she grabbed Dolly and zoomed her around. "Not only that. Dr. Pork Chop has made a giant monster that will eat you all! Ha! Ha! Ha!" She dropped Dolly and picked up Totoro. "Rrrraaarrr!

"Oh, no, Woody," Bonnie said, softening her tone back to her normal voice. She huddled down further and held up Woody. Her big hazel eyes were wide with mock panic. "What'll we do? I'm out of ideas. We're—"

"Bonnie, dinner's ready," her mom called.

"You three think of something while I'm gone," she whispered, dropping them onto the floor. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Buzz, use your laser if you have to."

She dashed from the room.

Jessie pulled Buzz to his feet. "I think it's time for your Spanish mode again," she crooned as she grabbed his hand and dragged him behind Bonnie's backpack, which was lying on the floor.

"M-my what?" Buzz sputtered as he stumbled beside her.

Woody felt a smile break across his face as he watched them. Playtime always brightened his mood. Bonnie was just as much fun as Andy had been but in a slightly different way. Instead of just acting out their roles as Andy had done, she always included herself as one of the characters. Woody had to admit that he was starting to feel a strong affection toward his new owner. She was unwittingly helping him ease into his new life here, to not feel so bad over the loss of Andy and Bo.

He remained sitting on the spot where Bonnie had left him, his arms clasped around his knees. The strangest thing had happened last week. He still sometimes thought it might be part of a dream.

It was the morning after he had finally been able to talk about Bo. Bonnie had been playing with him, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Rex, and Trixie outside. The air was comfortably cool and tinted with the first scents of autumn. Bonnie left her toys scattered on the lawn when she was called inside to have breakfast. None of them moved as a garbage truck came rattling by.

It slowed to a stop in front of her house. Woody watched through the fence as a slender young garbage man leaped out of his truck. He was wearing a black skull T-shirt that looked oddly familiar and chanting along to some tune on his iPod.

He suddenly stopped when he saw Woody. Something clenched inside the cowboy doll. Why was this man so familiar…?

"It…it can't be," the man murmured, removing his thick gloves and sticking them into his back pocket. He pulled off his headphones as he slipped through the gate, and then scooped up Woody. Woody's thoughts tumbled through his head, struggling to make sense of this. "Is…is it you?"

The garbage man pushed back his goggles. Woody felt as if something had snapped inside. Sid? The former toy torturer? He was older now, his face more mature and the braces were gone but he was still definitely Sid. He turned Woody over and pulled his string. _"Somebody's poisoned the water hole," _Woody's voice box intoned, the words vibrating through his cloth body.

"Y-you said more than that last time." Sid turned Woody back around. His eyes glinted with what seemed to be a mixture of hope and fear. "Are you the same cowboy doll?"

An odd urge to move and talk stirred in Woody. He and several others had broken a serious rule many years ago to teach young Sid a lesson, to force him to treat his toys better. Could it be that, once a toy has come to life in front of a human, it can no longer remain inanimate in the presence of said human? Woody couldn't resist.

"Howdy," he caught himself saying with a wink.

"Aaaaawwwww!" Sid screamed, throwing Woody up in the air. He heard his friends gasp in horrified surprise as he plopped painlessly onto the grass. Sid backed away, bumping into the fence. "I-it…it _is_ you." His eyes now looked terrified. He glanced over at the others, as if expecting them to also come to life and to attack him. Woody couldn't help it. He sat up and laughed until his sides ached. "I promise, I've never hurt another toy since then," Sid babbled. "In fact, whenever I find broken toys in the trash, I take them home and fix them. I haven't forgotten what you said, that all the toys are watching. I have a baby son now and the first thing I'm going to do is teach him to play nice with his toys."

"It sounds like you've learned your lesson," Woody managed to gasp once he was able to gain some control. He looked back at his friends, scattered motionless across the grass. "You know that we also have feelings and don't like to be mistreated."

Sid nodded and crept forward. He carefully picked up Woody and brushed loose grass from the cowboy's vest and jeans. "My schedule changes next week," said Sid. "So I'll be starting my rounds in this neighborhood before dawn. If there's anything at all you need, just ask." He gently set Woody back onto the grass.

"What was that about?" Trixie had gasped once Sid had driven away.

"It's a long story," said Buzz.

"Hey, Woody, are you there?" Slinky's voice broke into his reverie.

Woody blinked and patted his friend's head. "Sorry, Slink. It's just been a crazy week. I've had a lot on my mind."

"I hear ya. I was just wonderin' if you wanted to play a game of checkers." He pushed the board forward with his nose.

"Sure. What color—"

"Sweet Mother of Abraham Lincoln!" Jessie hollered, her voice piercing Woody's ears. Everyone stopped what they were doing and gaped at her. She was standing beside Bonnie's open backpack, holding up a letter neatly written in glittery pink ink. "Barbie says she saw Bo at Sunnyside."

Woody felt a joyous leap in his chest. He scrambled to Jessie's side. The others gathered around.

"It says here," Jessie continued, "that Bo had come to the daycare with Penny."

"Penny?" gasped Slinky.

Euphoria tingled through Woody. Penny was Bonnie's closest friend and lived only two houses down. He had been over there at least twice, with Bonnie, but had never seen Bo. "Is she Bo's new owner?" he blurted. Was it too much to hope?

"Hold on." Jessie scanned the letter further. "No. Bo belongs to Penny's grandmother." Woody's shoulders sagged. Of course. That would have been too good to be true. She had to have been the woman who purchased her at that yard sale on that terrible day. He felt Buzz's sturdy hand on his shoulder. "Barbie and Ken went through all of Sunnyside's records, late at night. It took a few nights but they were able to get an address." Jessie looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Now we can go after Bo."

"We're going to get her back!" Rex gushed, shaking his tiny claws in excitement. "Hooray!"

The others cheered. Woody's legs felt as if they had turned to fluid and his head spun. Was it possible? What if this was a dream? He had dreamt such things before.

"Have you forgotten what I told you?" said Chuckles, dampening Woody's mood. "Don't forget the rule about stealing."

"Oh, rules, smules," muttered Mr. Potato Head.

"Isn't keeping our family together more important than a silly rule?" added his wife.

Woody's thoughts churned. No! He wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away. They now knew where Bo's owner lived. That's more than they'd had before. "What if Bo doesn't like her home? What if she'd rather come home with us?"

"What do you mean 'if?'" chortled Hamm. "Why wouldn't she?"

"That, my friends, is our loophole," said Buzz.

Chuckles opened his mouth to protest but everyone ignored him.

"Let's just look this address up online and see where it is on the map," said Trixie, tapping a few keys on Bonnie's computer.

Woody climbed up beside her, along with Buzz and Jessie, both holding hands. _It won't be long until I feel complete again,_ he thought, feeling a joy similar to that of a good playtime.

His mood plummeted when Trixie pulled up the map. Everyone groaned. Bo's owner lived on the other side of town. It would take days to get there.

"That shouldn't matter," said Rex brightening. "Remember when we went after you, Woody?"

"That was different, Godzilla," snapped Mr. Potato Head. "Andy was away at Cowboy Camp. We can't just leave without Bonnie noticing."

The depression that Woody hadn't felt for days came creeping back. Perhaps he just wasn't meant to see Bo again. It was even worse now, that he'd momentarily gotten his hopes up.

"It's for the best," said Chuckles. "You couldn't take her from that lady even if—"

"Oh, shut up," Woody mumbled, too miserable to care about his rudeness.

"I'm sorry, Woody," Buzz said softly, patting Woody's back.

Woody brushed past him and leaped onto the bed. His chest felt as if someone had placed a rock in it. He took his usual seat on the windowsill.

It was getting dark and a few stars prickled the dusk-blue sky. He struggled to forget how he and Bo had often stood together on another windowsill on some evenings, watching the sun disappear in a stunning array to be replaced by countless stars.

_Darn Barbie for sending that letter! _he thought. And just when he was once again finding a way to put Bo in the past where she belonged, along with Andy. Why did he have to get his hopes up like that only to have them come plunging down moments later?

He was distracted by a rumbling sound. Bonnie's dad was pushing a trash bin to the curb. Tomorrow was a garbage pickup day…

Sid! The man's words rushed into his mind. "I'll be starting my rounds in the neighborhood before dawn. If there's anything at all you need, just ask."

The thought of riding in a garbage truck again terrified him. He and his friends had nearly lost their lives at that stupid dump. Still, it was his only chance. They wouldn't even be going near the dump this time. He had to take it.

"Guys!" Woody's voice trembled with anticipation as he turned from the window to face the crowd of toys below. "We have a ride."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was very late but Bo couldn't sleep. She leaned against her staff and stared out at the garden. The dew-damp flowers glistened with faintly muted shades against the bright moonlight.

A heavy grief pressed against her chest. Penny's dad was coming for her first thing tomorrow morning.

Bo felt a reluctant smile touch her lips as she thought about the child. The day after the Sunnyside incident, Alice had allowed Penny to go into the den.

"Grandma says I can look at you, as long as I don't touch," Penny had said. Bo's sadness was overpowered by gratitude. At least this child could talk to her. She caught a glimpse of Alice watching her granddaughter from the doorway.

Bo listened as Penny chatted about her friends and Sunnyside. A queer, tingling warmth filled her when Penny brought up Bonnie. _I __wonder__ if __Penny__'__s __played __with __Woody __and __the __rest,_ she thought, wishing she could talk back and ask the child directly.

"I miss Dad and Bonnie but I'll see them again very soon. I miss Mom most of all." Penny's eyes grew glossy with tears. She twisted the tip of her ponytail. "But she's gone. I remember how she used to hold me and sing to me every night until I fell asleep." The child rubbed her eyes. Bo resisted the urge to reach out to her. Instead, she tightened her grasp on her crook. "I still have nightmares about the night she died." _Just as Andy used to, after he lost his father. _This memory filled Bo with melancholy. _That__'__s __when __he __started __sleeping __with __Woody. _Bo wondered if Penny had a toy to comfort her on those nights and hoped she did.

Penny looked directly at Bo. Her tears had faded and she was smiling. "Dad lets me sleep with the light on so I won't have those dreams. But the lamp by my bed is an ugly old thing. I like yours much better."

Bo struggled to block out the sound of Clarice's snores as she thought about what Penny had said earlier this evening, just before the child went to bed. "I'm going home tomorrow, Bo, but I promise I'll see you a lot. I come here all the time to visit Grandma. She gave me her word that I can see you. I just can't play with you. You'll always be here for me, won't you, Bo?" Penny started to reach for her but then quickly pulled back, remembering what she'd promised her grandmother. Bo's throat tightened and her eyes grew hot.

_What __am __I __going to __do __without __Penny? _she thought, her gaze still locked on the moonlit garden. These past few days had been the happiest she'd experienced in a long while with the child's frequent visits. Alice was a nice enough owner. She handled Bo with special care whenever she dusted and sometimes even smiled at her. But she never spoke to Bo and certainly didn't play with her.

A dark shape appeared at the window. Startled, Bo gasped and dropped her staff. It fell with a clatter. She blinked, straining to get a better look. The shape looked like the head of a dog with floppy ears and large eyes.

"Howdy, Miss Peep," said a familiar friendly voice as it leaped forward on a long spring.

"Slinky?" Bo's mind struggled to process this. She rubbed her eyes, certain she must have dozed off and was now dreaming. She'd lost count of the number of times she'd dreamt of her old friends.

"Yup." Slinky grasped the edge of the shelf with his front paws while his silver spring body stretched through the window. "We've all come for you."

A euphoria she hadn't felt since Penny's tight hug at Sunnyside filled her. She clutched Slinky's head and stroked his smooth, vinyl ears.

The others followed, climbing through the window along Slinky's spring.

"Yee-haw!" shouted Jessie, leaping forward. She grabbed Bo in a crushing embrace and jumped up and down. "You're really here! We've finally found you!" Bo couldn't breathe and her bonnet slipped over her eyes but she didn't care. She was just too happy. If this was another dream, she didn't want to wake up. Ever.

"Go easy on her, Jessie," said Buzz, putting his strong arms around the both of them.

"Bo Peep!" Rex exclaimed, stumbling toward the trio. He tripped over Slinky's spring and knocked them all down. Hamm joined them next, followed by Mrs. Potato Head. Bo realized she was laughing, something she had rarely done here at Alice's, as she tightly hugged her friends. Bullseye whinnied joyously and licked her face. She could hear Clarice shrieking and Adriana screaming but she hardly cared. Her family had come for her.

Mr. Potato Head stood to the side. His back was to them but Bo heard him sniffling. She pulled away from the others and crept toward him.

"I've always suspected you were nothing but a big softy," she teased.

"It's…no, my eye is just loose, that's all," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"I've missed you too, you old spud," she said, bending down to kiss him on the cheek.

"Bo," said a familiar voice, one that made her feel warm all over. She looked up to see a lanky cowboy form silhouetted against the moonlight. "I thought I'd never…It's so good to—"

"Woody!" Euphoria flooded her as she dashed into his arms, pulling his soft cloth body close. He lifted her up and spun her around. She covered his face with kisses, just as she used to in what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"We're a complete family again!" exclaimed Jessie, once Woody set Bo down. They still clung to one another. _It __isn__'__t __possible __to __be __this __happy, __is __it? _Bo thought, resting her head against Woody's shoulder.

Clarice was cowering behind her throne, trying to strike Hamm and Mr. Potato Head with her scepter but missing. Her hair was disheveled, her crown crooked. "Get away from me you filthy farm animal and…whatever it is you are," she gasped, her eyes wild with both fear and indignation.

"We were just trying to introduce ourselves, Queenie," said Hamm, turning toward Adriana and giving her a wink. The mermaid screamed and dropped her mirror.

"How do you like that," Mr. Potato Head muttered. "I come all this way to be insulted by a snooty queen."

"A queen!" exclaimed Rex, wobbling toward Clarice on his thick legs. Bo stifled a laugh as she saw Clarice's eyes widen with a look of pure terror. The queen opened her mouth but, for once, no sound came out. "Your Majesty," Rex said in an awed tone as he dipped into a deep bow.

Clarice's horrified expression melted into one of delight. "Now, that's more like it," she gushed, emerging from behind her throne. She straightened her crown, primped her hair, and slid back onto the throne. "It looks like I've finally obtained a loyal subject." She beamed up at Rex who was spluttering with excitement.

"How did you all find me?" Bo asked, tearing her gaze away from Clarice and Rex.

"It's a long story and we haven't got much time," said Woody, grabbing her hand and looking toward the window. The moonlight had been replaced by dawn's rich golden glow. "We've come to take you home with us. You'll love Bonnie."

Conflicting emotions filled Bo as she looked at the eager faces of all her friends. Friends she had desperately missed this past year, that she was certain she would never see again. But now she could have them back and be played with again. From what she had seen at Sunnyside, Bonnie was certainly as sweet as Penny.

Penny….

The child's eager words, "You'll always be here for me, won't you, Bo?" played through her mind.

Her chest tightened. She dropped Woody's hand and stepped back. "I-I can't," she whispered, hardly able to get the words out. She looked down to avoid the disappointed expressions and stared at her crook, which was lying a short distance away, where she'd dropped it. "I have to stay here. Penny needs me."

"Penny!" snapped Woody, his voice unusually harsh and bitter. "But she doesn't even live here. She's not your owner."

His words were painful to her ears. "I know. But she visits often. I need to be here for her."

"That's silly." Woody grasped her shoulders. His voice sounded agitated. "So you're going to what, stand around on a shelf day after day in the hopes that she comes to visit? Do you know how hard it was to find you, what we had to do to get all the way over here?" He was shouting now and his face had turned a heated red. "How can you do this to us, Bo? How can you be so selfish?" He pulled away and turned his back to her. Everyone gasped.

Bo reeled back in shock. She felt as if her insides had shattered. Woody had _never_ raised his voice to her before. "I-I thought you of all people would understand," she choked, tears flooding her eyes. "Wouldn't you have stayed for Andy?"

Woody sighed deeply. He bowed his head as he turned back to her. His expression was now weary, sad. Tears shimmered in his large brown eyes. He gently took her hands. "I'm so sorry, Bo," he said, his voice thick with those unshed tears. "I was the one being selfish, thinking only of myself. If Penny needs you, you should stay. Please forgive me." He pulled her close.

Bo held him tightly for some time, not wanting to ever let go. If she did, he would be out of her life forever yet again.

"Wait a second there, both of you," said Jessie. "Bonnie and Penny are best friends, aren't they? And they're practically neighbors." Hope leaped within Bo. "If you come home with us, you can still be there for Penny _and _you will be played with."

"That's right," added Slinky. "It's a win-win situation."

Bo nodded, her mood once again lighter. Was it possible to have both her old family _and _Penny? "Okay. I'll—"

"Until Alice notices you missing, shepherd girl," Clarice said with a smug grin. "I don't know why but that would certainly upset her. And her little rug rat Penny would be accused of stealing you and giving you to this Bonnie."

Bo felt as if someone had thrown her against a wall, shattering her into countless pieces. For once, she wished that would happen. "That's true." She forced the words out with difficulty. "I can't go. Alice would miss me and Penny would get blamed."

"Go figure," Hamm murmured in a disgusted voice. "Chuckles was right."

"Then this is goodbye for good?" sobbed Jessie, hugging her.

Bo struggled to hold back her tears as she embraced all of her friends. This was even worse than the yard sale, since she had the opportunity to return with them and was giving it up. There would be no second chances this time, she was sure. She held Woody for an extra long time and gave him a firm kiss. "Take good care of Bonnie," she whispered. "She seems like a good kid."

Slinky was the last to leave since the others had to climb down his spring to go out the window. His sad eyes lingered on her before he, too, disappeared.

Bo could no longer contain her tears. The pain was just too great. She fell to her knees with her face in her hands and wept. She had never cried like this before and her sheep bleated in concern. She ignored them this time. Not even they could comfort her. She didn't even care if Clarice was watching.

For once, thankfully, the queen was silent.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Bo had regained her composure by the time Penny entered the den but inside she still felt crushed, empty.

"Dad's coming for me any minute," she said, "but I promise I'll visit you next time I'm here."

It took almost all of Bo's strength to stand perfectly still and not crumble into hopeless sobs. Her chest and throat ached, her eyes tingled with still more tears but all she could do was remain in her frozen position, staring unblinkingly at Penny.

"You really like Bo Peep, don't you?" Alice asked as she stepped into the room holding an empty box.

Penny smiled and nodded.

"Then I want you to have her."

"Really?" Penny's voice came out as an excited shriek.

A dazed, joyous feeling overcame Bo. Had she heard correctly? Was she dreaming? Was Penny going to be her new owner?

"Yes." Alice gently took Bo into her hands. She settled on the settee and motioned for Penny to join her. "But I'll only do this on one condition," she continued, cradling Bo's head in her palm. For a moment, Bo felt a sinking sensation. "You must be very gentle with her. She's not like your other toys that you can throw around. She can break if you mishandle her."

Penny nodded vigorously. "I promise, Grandma. I'll take good care of Bo."

Bo nearly trembled with joy as Alice placed her gingerly in Penny's hands. "Did you hear that, Bo?" The child's brown eyes glittered. "You're going home with me." She looked up at her grandmother who was putting Bo's lamp and sheep into the box. "Do I get them too?"

"Of course. They are a set."

Just then there was a knock at the front door, followed by a man's voice calling, "Mom, are you there? Penny?"

"Daddy!" Penny, clutching Bo to her chest, dashed out of the room, down the hall, and pulled the front door open for her father.

"There's my little princess," he said, sweeping Penny into his arms and spinning her around. This made Bo dizzy but she didn't care. She was deliriously happy. Penny giggled with delight.

"Look what Grandma gave me," she said once the spinning stopped and held up Bo. "Her name is Bo Peep."

"Just like the nursery rhyme in your book," her father said, his smile broadening. "She's very pretty but it looks like you'll have to be careful with her."

"I will. I promised Grandma I would be. She also comes with a lamp and sheep."

"Does she now?" He looked into the box that Alice had set on the coffee table. "That will look nice on your nightstand. Perhaps it will help you have pleasant dreams."

"I know she will," Penny said, holding Bo close.

* * *

"You'll never defeat my monster!" Bonnie laughed as she held up Dolly, waving her about. Penny pretended to cower on the floor amongst all of Bonnie's toys, which scattered the hardwood floor. She held Woody in one hand, Buzz in the other. Bonnie picked up Totoro. "He's indestructible. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Penny lifted Woody and pulled his string. _"Reach for the sky."_ She raised the doll's hand, made him pretend to shoot.

Bonnie threw her head back and cackled as Witch Dolly. "Your bullets are no good. Dr. Pork Chop gave him a hide that's tougher than metal."

"Buzz, use your laser," Penny whispered to the space ranger. She lifted his arm and pushed the button. A thin beam of red light flicked over Totoro.

"Ha!" Bonnie laughed in her witchy voice and shook Dolly back and forth. "Your silly lasers don't work either. You are all doomed!"

"What'll we do?" Penny gasped in a dramatic whisper. "Does anyone else have any ideas? Mr. Pricklepants? Jessie? Potato Heads? No?"

She crawled over to Bo, who was standing beside Bonnie's bed with her sheep. "I can help." Penny gently picked up Bo and slipped her bonnet off. "Magic is the only thing that can defeat this monster. I'm really a sorceress in disguise." Penny aimed Bo's staff at Totoro, then picked him up and tossed him aside. "See, now he's just a harmless cockroach. We've won, Witch Dolly!"

"I'll get you back for this!" Bonnie zoomed Dolly away. "Dr. Pork Chop will come up with a better monster. One that can withstand all the magic in the world. You'll see!"

"You saved us, Bo!" Penny giggled as she held her up and spun her around.

"Now she and Woody have to kiss," said Bonnie, picking up the cowboy doll.

"Girls, lunch is ready," called Bonnie's mom.

"You two behave yourselves while we're away," Penny said as she and Bonnie put down their dolls and darted from the room.

Bo's head was spinning. _Could all this be true? _She looked around Bonnie's room, at all of her old friends, as well as the new. She loved Penny and was developing a fondness for Bonnie too. The two girls played together nearly every day, going to each other's houses. Bo always accompanied Penny.

Warmth filled her as she looked over at Woody, who was climbing to his feet. She looped her crook around his neck and pulled him toward her. "Whoa! Easy, Bo," he said, his mouth curving into a shy smile.

"I'd be careful if I were you," she teased. "After all, my staff is now magical." She pressed close to him. "Just think, after all these years, I finally get to save _you._"

Woody grinned. "I wouldn't have it any other way. The only thing better would be if you lived here with us."

"This arrangement isn't bad." She blinked up at him. "Remember, I'm now just a couple of houses away."

"Still, let's make every minute count." Woody placed his fingers beneath Bo's chin and gently tilted her head back. Euphoria tingled through her as she gazed into his wide, smiling eyes.

They shared a long, uninterrupted kiss.

**The End**

_Author's Note: I hope you aren't disappointed that Bo ended up with Penny instead of Bonnie. I just felt she had a special connection to that child and she can still see her old friends, including Woody. A big thanks to all of you who have reviewed, alerted, and favorited this story! Have a wonderful holiday season everyone! –D. M. Robb_


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